Comb.



UNITED STTES PATENT OFFICE;

JOHN L. GILLUM, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

COMB.

SPECIFICATON forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,050, dated November 5, 1901.

Application filed June 5, 1901. Serial No. 63,224. (No model.)

To alt whom it may concrn;

Be it known that I, JOHN L. GILLUM, a citi- ,zen of the United States, residing in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvement's in Combs, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my inveution is to so construct a comb of celluloid, rubber, or other like conposition as to provide a strong and extremely elastic back for the toothed bar of the comb, the structure presenting all the appearance of a solid-backed comb and being as cleanly as a comb having such solid back.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a comb made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse section of the same. Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in section, of one end of the comb; and Fig. 4 is a similar View illustrating another enbodiment of my i invention.

Ordinary combs of rubber, celluloid, or other plastic conpos'itions are thickened at the back for the purpose of increasing the strength and inproving the appearance of this part of the comb; but this method of manufacture is objectionable, because of the amount of expensive material required in formin g the solid back and because the latter detractsfrom the elasticity of the comb.

In carrying out my invention, therefore, I form a hollow back on the combby bending a strip 1 of the rubber, celluloid, or other I plastic composition around the back of the toothed bar 2 of the comb in such a manner that it is by preference free from contact with said bar except at the edges, where it is welded to and practically made integral with said toothed bar, as shown in Fig. 2 while in a plastic state, so that when completed the conb is practically without joint or seam at the j unction of the hollow back and toothed bar. The ends of the hollow back are closed in the same way by a strip 3 of the composition Welded or similarly united to the back strip 1 and bar 2 of the comb, so that the latter presents externally no joint or crevice for the lodgment of dirt, and hence is hygienically as good as a comb having a solid back, while it is much preferable to such solid-backed comb in respect of its elasticity, the freedom from contact of the'strip 1 and toothed bar 2, except at the point Where they are united, rendering the back of the comb extremely elastic, so that it cannot be broken, distorted, or injured by any strain likely to be put upon it in use. The comb will, noreover, act nore eifectively upon the hair by failing to oppose rigid re sistance to the latter when it is tangled, and hence iuterferes With the free passage of the comb through it. I

Although I prefer in all cases to eitect a weld or integral union of the toothed bar of the comb and the hollow back and ends of the same, I may in some cases eftect the union of these parts by means of a cement of the same naterial as the parts themselves or of other material which will provide a close and firmly adherent union of the paris, and the ends of the hollow back may be closed by plugs instead of by external stops, if desired, as shown, for instance, at 4 in Fig. 4.

I am aware that conbs of various material have been provided with hollow metallic backs; but in this case there cau be no such union of the back with the toothed bar of the comb as constitutes one of the features of my invention. Hence such metallic-backed combs lack the elastic element, which is a prominent characteristic of n y improved comb.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to-secure by Letters Patent- 1. A conb of rubber, celluloid, or the like having a toothedbar and a hollow back surrounding the rear edge of said toothed bar but free from contact therewith except at the edges, where it is united to the bar, substantially' as specified.

2. A comb of rubber, celluloid, or like ma'- terial, having a toothed bar, a hollow back surrounding the rear edge of the bar but free from contact therewith except at the edges, where it is united to said bar, and closures at the ends-of the hollow back, subst-autially as specified.

3. A comb of rubber, celluloid, or like ma teriai, having a, toothed bar and a back oon name to this speeifieation in the presence of posed of an independent strip lapped around two subserib'ng witnesses. the rear edge of the toothed bar and having throughout its length a close and firmly adv JOHN (IILLUM' 5 herent union with the sides of said toothed Witnesses:

bar, substantiaily as specified. .F. E. BECHTOLD, In testimony Whereof I have signed my J OS. H. KLEIN. 

